# Gordon Clapp

Gordon Clapp (born September 24, 1948) is an American actor best known for playing Det. Greg Medavoy for all 12 seasons of the television series NYPD Blue, winning an Emmy Award in 1998.

## Early life and education

Clapp was born in North Conway, New Hampshire. He graduated from Williams College in 1971. At Williams College, he met frequent collaborators David Strathairn and John Sayles. Clapp also studied at The National Theater Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center (Fall 1970).

## Career

Clapp has appeared in numerous TV shows such as Check it Out! and Night Court as well as numerous stage plays. His film credits include Return of the Secaucus 7 (1979), Running (1979), Matewan (1987), Eight Men Out (1988, as Chicago White Sox catcher Ray Schalk), Termini Station (1989), The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999), Rules of Engagement (2000), Sunshine State (2002), and Flags of Our Fathers (2006) as United States Marine Corps Gen. Holland Smith. He appeared in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Vortex." From 1993 to 2005, Clapp played Detective Greg Medavoy on "NYPD Blue." He won an Emmy for the role.
In 2007, he appeared as Coach Mad Maddox in The Game Plan. On Broadway, he most recently appeared in the revival of David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Glengarry Glen Ross, where he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play. He also played Alan Silver in episode Holiday Spirit in Ghost Whisperer (3x10).
In 1995, he played Father Paul in Her Hidden Truth. In 2007 Clapp voiced Horny The Clown in the horror film Drive-Thru. Later that year, Clapp also appeared as Det Dick Walenski in "In Name and Blood," season 3 episode 2 of Criminal Minds. Clapp portrayed a corrupt police officer in a 2008 episode of Cold Case. He played the main antagonist Gen. Peter Randall in the Prototype video game. Clapp plays the father of Ellen (Rose Byrne) in the F/X show Damages.
In 2014, Clapp began playing a recurring role as Chaplain Orlovsky in Chicago Fire.
In 2021 Clapp had a modest but critical role in the acclaimed HBO series Mare of Easttown, playing key witness Pat Ross.

## Personal life

Clapp was previously married to actress Deborah Taylor from 1986 to 1999. He married Elisabeth Gordon, whom he met through a mutual friend, on November 5, 2016.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1979 | Running | Kenny | |
| 1980 | Return of the Secaucus 7 | Chip | |
| 1987 | Matewan | Tom Griggs | |
| 1988 | Eight Men Out | Ray Schalk | |
| 1989 | Termini Station | Harvey Dunshane | |
| 1989 | Gross Anatomy | Doctor | |
| 1994 | April One | Gordon Davies | |
| 1999 | The Rage: Carrie 2 | Eric's Father | |
| 2000 | Rules of Engagement | Harris | |
| 2001 | Skeletons in the Closet | Dan | |
| 2002 | Sunshine State | Earl Pinkney | |
| 2002 | Moonlight Mile | Tanner | |
| 2004 | The Sure Hand of God | Jefferson T. Stevens | |
| 2006 | Flags of Our Fathers | Holland Smith | |
| 2007 | Drive-Thru | Horny the Clown | Voice |
| 2007 | The Game Plan | Coach Mark Maddox | |
| 2009 | Falling Up | Colin O'Shea | |
| 2009 | The Funk Parlor | Detective Joseph Angeli | |
| 2010 | The Grind | Galt | |
| 2015 | Peter and John | Charles Roland | |
| 2015 | The Perfect Guy | Bill Forsythe | |
| 2016 | Dead Billy | Lucien | |
| 2021 | Blood Brothers: Civil War | Mr. Roland | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1984 | The Other Kingdom | George | Television film |
| 1985 | Hangin' In | Mr. Hepburn | Episode: "Dead Dogs Wag No Tails" |
| 1985 | Evergreen | Palm Court Waiter | Episode #1.1 |
| 1985 | Letting Go | Walter | Television film |
| 1985 | ABC Weekend Special | Cop | Episode: "Pippi Longstocking" |
| 1985–1988 | Check It Out! | Various roles | 49 episodes |
| 1986 | The Right of the People | Chris' Friend | Television film |
| 1987 | Hands of a Stranger | Sgt. Markey | Television film |
| 1988 | Katts and Dog | Wayne | Episode: "Birds of a Feather" |
| 1988 | Breaking All the Rules | John Haney | Television film |
| 1989 | Knightwatch | Daniels | 2 episodes |
| 1989 | Small Sacrifices | Detective Doug Welch | Television film |
| 1989 | The Private Capital | Darcy | Television film |
| 1990 | Dear John | Dave Travis | Episode: "John's Friend" |
| 1990 | Family of Spies | Capt. Burnett | 2 episodes |
| 1990 | Blind Faith | Det. O'Brien | 2 episodes |
| 1990 | Night Court | Ralph Shannon | Episode: "I Said Dance!" |
| 1990 | Top Cops | Dennis Dutra | Episode: "Dennis Dutra" |
| 1990 | Cop Rock | Philip Beamer | Episode: "A Three-Corpse Meal" |
| 1990 | The Secret Life of Archie's Wife | Stubbs | Television film |
| 1990, 1993 | E.N.G. | Various roles | 2 episodes |
| 1991 | Fever | Meeks | Television film |
| 1991 | Mission of the Shark | Elias | Television film |
| 1992 | The Wonder Years | Bruce Leegee | Episode: "Politics as Usual" |
| 1992 | Street Legal | James Brackit | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Bonds of Love | Evaluator | Television film |
| 1993 | Kiss of a Killer | Sullivan | Television film |
| 1993 | Civil Wars | Al Blynn | Episode: "Alien Aided Affection" |
| 1993 | Family of Strangers | Del | Television film |
| 1993 | Cheers | Shiner | Episode: "Look Before You Sleep" |
| 1993 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Hadran | Episode: "Vortex" |
| 1993 | FBI: The Untold Stories | Gavin | Episode: "The Sting" |
| 1993 | In the Line of Duty: Ambush in Waco | Glenn | Television film |
| 1993 | Wings | Phil | Episode: "Bye-Bye, Bunny" |
| 1993–2005 | NYPD Blue | Greg Medavoy | 256 episodes |
| 1995 | Abandoned and Deceived | Donald Quinn | Television film |
| 1995 | The Outer Limits | Dr. Randall Strong | Episode: "The Voice of Reason" |
| 1995 | Her Hidden Truth | Father Paul | Television film |
| 1996 | The Morrison Murders: Based on a True Story | Sheriff Byron Calhoun | Television film |
| 1997 | Badge of Betrayal | Thatcher | Television film |
| 1997 | Dead Man's Gun | Raymond Walter Jakes | Episode: "The Bounty Hunter" |
| 2003 | Less than Perfect | Detective Martin | Episode: "It Takes a Pillage" |
| 2005 | Without a Trace | Bill Shields | Episode: "The Innocents" |
| 2005, 2006 | Deadwood | Gustave | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | Law & Order: SVU | Ted Carthage | Episode: "Infected" |
| 2006 | Monk | Francis Merrigan | Episode: "Mr. Monk Gets a New Shrink" |
| 2007 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Salvatore Heinz | Episode: "Meet Market" |
| 2007 | Halfway Home | Sandy | Episode: "Halfway New Guy" |
| 2007 | Criminal Minds | Det. Vic Wolynski | Episode: "In Name and Blood" |
| 2007 | Private Practice | Coach Mike | Episode: "In Which Addison Finds a Showerhead" |
| 2007 | Ghost Whisperer | Alan Silver | Episode: "Holiday Spirit" |
| 2007–2012 | Damages | Gary Parsons | 3 episodes |
| 2008 | Cold Case | Daniel O'Leary | Episode: "Bad Reputation" |
| 2009 | Taking Chance | Tom Garrett | Television film |
| 2011 | In Plain Sight | Ben Kulpak | Episode: "I'm a Liver Not a Fighter" |
| 2013 | Perception | Alan Kendricks | Episode: "Ch-Ch-Changes" |
| 2013 | Grey's Anatomy | Victor Kaufman | Episode: "Somebody That I Used to Know" |
| 2013 | Mob City | Carl Steckler | 4 episodes |
| 2014–2018 | Chicago Fire | Chaplain Orlovsky | 11 episodes |
| 2016 | Elementary | Deputy Chief Prosky | Episode: "Henny Penny the Sky Is Falling" |
| 2021 | Mare of Easttown | Pat Ross | Episode: "Sore Must Be the Storm" |
| 2021 | American Rust | Mr. Gelsey | 4 episodes |